UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size
The UN General Assembly has voted to replace the traditional Mercator world map with the Equal Earth projection, which more accurately reflects the true size of Africa.
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a non-binding resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by the African Union, to adopt a new world map. This change aims to correct the long-standing distortion of the Mercator projection, which significantly misrepresents the size of continents, particularly making Africa appear much smaller than its actual scale.
Imagine trying to flatten an orange peel perfectly onto a table – it's impossible without stretching or squishing parts! Old world maps did something similar, making some countries look much bigger or smaller than they really are, especially Africa. Now, the world's big club, the UN, has voted to use a new map that shows Africa and other places closer to their actual size, so everyone can see how big and important they truly are.
Analysis
Mercator Projection
For centuries, the Mercator projection has been the standard world map, designed in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator primarily to aid European explorers in navigation. While effective for its original purpose, this two-dimensional representation of a spherical Earth inherently introduces significant distortions. Countries closer to the poles, such as Greenland, appear disproportionately large, while those near the equator, like Africa, are depicted as much smaller than their true scale.
Critics argue that this cartographic inaccuracy has had profound implications beyond mere geography. The visual minimization of Africa, which is 14 times larger than Greenland, has been linked to a broader narrative issue, contributing to the underestimation of the continent's development needs, potential, and vast resources. This historical distortion is seen as a form of 'cognitive injustice' that has shaped global understanding and perceptions of Africa's place in the world.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey
The initiative to correct this cartographic imbalance was spearheaded by Togo, with strong backing from the African Union's 54 member states. Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey articulated the philosophical underpinning of the resolution, stating that "A fair world begins with a fair map" and emphasizing that "A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood." This highlights the diplomatic effort to address a perceived historical injustice through cartographic reform.
The resolution, titled "Correct the Map," garnered substantial international support, passing with 164 nations voting in favor, including key European powers like France and the UK. The United States was the sole nation to vote against it, with six abstentions. While the UN vote is non-binding, its widespread endorsement signals a global recognition of the need for more accurate representations and is expected to influence the maps used by institutions worldwide, fostering a more equitable visual understanding of the globe.
Equal Earth Projection
In response to the distortions of the Mercator map, a team of cartographers developed the Equal Earth projection in 2018. This new map is specifically designed to be an equal-area map, meaning it accurately represents the relative sizes of all continents and countries. The African Union recognized the importance of this correction, adopting the Equal Earth projection in February, stating that it "more accurately represents the sizes of all continents, particularly Africa."
The adoption of the Equal Earth projection by the UN General Assembly, even if non-binding, marks a significant step towards rectifying what campaigners like Africa No Filter's Lerato Mogoatlhe describe as the "world's longest misinformation and disinformation" about Africa. Kenyan geographer Kioko Muendo further underscores that maps are not just navigational tools but powerful shapers of political and economic perceptions. The shift to a more accurate map is therefore seen as an act of truth, aiming to foster a more realistic appreciation of Africa's true scale, population, and investment opportunities on the global stage.
Key points
- The UN General Assembly voted to replace the traditional Mercator world map with a more accurate projection.
- The 'Correct the Map' resolution was sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union members, passing with 164 votes.
- The Mercator map, designed in 1569, inaccurately depicts Africa as similar in size to Greenland, despite being 14 times larger.
- The new map, the Equal Earth projection, was created in 2018 and adopted by the AU in February for its accurate representation of continent sizes.
- Critics argue the Mercator map's distortion has minimized Africa's development needs, potential, and resources, shaping global perceptions.
The adoption of the Equal Earth projection could lead to a more accurate global perception of Africa's vastness, potentially stimulating greater investment, fostering a deeper understanding of its resources and population, and challenging historical biases that have minimized its importance on the world stage.
Despite the UN vote, its non-binding nature means widespread institutional adoption of the new map is not guaranteed, especially given the United States' opposition. Changing deeply ingrained global perceptions and cartographic practices, which have been in place for centuries, will likely be a slow and challenging process.